Blood pressure readings in cats........

Re: Blood pressure readings in cats........

Phrin Vernon RVN — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 20:41:40 GMT

Thanks!

I will download that, but would love the article too if not too much bother?

Will PM my email

Re: Blood pressure readings in cats........

Nick Shackleton — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 20:37:18 GMT

Doppler ultrasound blood pressure monitoring only measures systolic BP. Althou in smaller patients it is closer to mean.

http://www.vetnurse.co.uk/wikis/veterinary-nurse/anaesthesia-quick-reference-chart.aspx

this might help as well as a typed article I wrote on Blood pressure monitoring can email you a copy if you like.

Re: Blood pressure readings in cats........

Phrin Vernon RVN — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 20:33:16 GMT

Can I butt in with another question?

I used to work in referral where we taught to take BP using a doppler monitor, cuff, headphones etc (and to always take from paw, and take a few readings and use the mean)

Anyway, different practice now, where we hardly ever use the BP monitor at work - maybe once in 6 months? A couple of months ago we were doing an op on a geriatric dog - I was using metatarsal pulse & stethoscope to monitor, and patient developed a pulse defecit, so I got the BP monitor out (same as before, doppler etc), took a BP reading and reported it to the vet.

His first question was is that diastolic or systolic? (He didn't know either lol)

My answer - ummmmm???

So what is it? And how useful is it?

Re: Blood pressure readings in cats........

Claire Cameron — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 14:15:15 GMT

We always use paws and try to have the same member of staff taking readings.

I use tails in cats that are uncooperative or reluctant to sit with their paw out but generally thats not many of them.

Re: Blood pressure readings in cats........

Mrs Dot Dot — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 18:46:27 GMT

We have a doppler and yes, I've just started doing both tail and paw readings from the same cat..... both always different. And the cat is generally sitting up so the tail and paw are below heart level... although that is something that I have forgot to consider

Re: Blood pressure readings in cats........

Steph Worsley — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 15:54:01 GMT

[quote user="Kimbo1985"]

Paw unless cat won't tolerate it. We've recently got a automatic cuff electric one (don't know the proper name!) and I hate it!! Gives different readings every time!

[/quote]

thats an oscillometric one, when you take readings with it, it is best to have the animal on its side with the paw you are using level with the heart.

it is affected by movement so if you have a shaking animal it wont work

also make sure that the heart rate is the same (or near to) as it reads on the machine, if not your readings wont be true

Re: Blood pressure readings in cats........

Kim Buckley — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 15:19:40 GMT

Paw unless cat won't tolerate it. We've recently got a automatic cuff electric one (don't know the proper name!) and I hate it!! Gives different readings every time!

Re: Blood pressure readings in cats........

Maisy — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 15:12:55 GMT

Paw here too. Have you done readings from the same cats on both paw and tail to see how they compare?

Re: Blood pressure readings in cats........

Royalsuper_fairy — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 15:12:29 GMT

We also paw as first port of call and tail in only used if cat reacts badly to having their paws held.

Re: Blood pressure readings in cats........

Catherine Raymond — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 15:10:30 GMT

We always use the paw. We also try to get the same person to do it when regular readings are needed, to ensure consistency.

Re: Blood pressure readings in cats........

Steph Worsley — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 15:10:10 GMT

paw everytime

what sort of bp machine are you using? doppler or oscillometric?

Re: Blood pressure readings in cats........

S-J — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 14:51:27 GMT

we always use the paw, we find it works well for both cats and dogs

Re: Blood pressure readings in cats........

Nick Shackleton — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 14:48:11 GMT

Possibly cos it's above the heart base maybe??? I always use a paw and ensuring the patients paw is either in line or below the patient's heart base